Foes of companyÂ?s rail plan muster forces

June 14, 2006|By BRENT FORGUES Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND Â? A few blocks from Cindy DeLeonÂ?s home on the west side, two active railroad lines run east and west, flanking her home. DeLeon, who can hear the train whistles from her home, expressed concern about the proposal to put the long-idle tracks that run north and south near her home back in service. Â?ThatÂ?s horrid,Â? she said in surprise after a reporter described the plan. Â?This runs through the heart of the neighborhood, and nobody wants to live next to more railroad tracks.Â? On Tuesday, a private company announced it wants to buy and renovate an old rail line stretching from South BendÂ?s west side to the University of Notre Dame. The company, South Bend Railway, discussed buying the Norfolk Southern line that has been unused for years and now sits partially under roads and neighborhoods. Running straight by a day care, the part of the line near DeLeon will form a triangular island when it connects with the already established lines, trapping the portion of the neighborhood within. Â?I canÂ?t believe they got that far and proceeded without city approval,Â? she said. Â?To me, this is something that needs public opinion.Â? The Common Council scheduled a public meeting for today about the deal after it was brought to the councilÂ?s attention earlier this week. Mayor Stephen Luecke said he opposes the plan, citing safety and quality-of-life concerns, and council members are angry they didnÂ?t know about it earlier. But Gary Landrio, a company representative for South Bend Railway, said he had spoken with Luecke and other city officials, including city engineer Carl Littrell, about a year ago. Littrell said city officials told Landrio they didnÂ?t like the idea because of concerns about the planÂ?s effect on the city. But Landrio proceeded with the plan anyway, and his companyÂ?s deal would be finalized if it werenÂ?t for a mandatory two-month waiting period that will push the closing to mid-August. TonightÂ?s meeting will address what actions the public can take to stop the deal. Â?WeÂ?re doing everything we can at this point,Â? deputy city attorney Jeff Jankowski said Monday. Â?But I think that a grass-roots movement at the neighborhood level could be the strongest fight we have going in this battle.Â? DeLeon, whoÂ?s the vice president of the West Side Neighborhood Organization, has already started her fight. Although DeLeon canÂ?t attend the meeting, she said she will begin petitioning and informing her neighborhood about what lies ahead. Â?Hopefully, itÂ?s not too late to do that,Â? she said. Â?ThereÂ?s enough other ways to transport their goods.Â? But the west side is not the only area affected by the deal; a report compiled by the city lists almost 20 other sites, including parks and schools. Part of the rail crosses Linden and Circle avenues, both named in the report and the homes of a FrankieÂ?s Barbecue and the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center. And the possibility of the rails coming back to life is something that canÂ?t happen, said Sean Trotter, president of the FrankieÂ?s Barbecue franchise. Â?Not in our neighborhood,Â? he said with certainty. Â?WeÂ?ve got too many kids running around.Â? The King Center, a community and recreational center for South Bend, sits with its tennis courts alongside the tracks on Linden. The presence of trains near the center creates the potential to attract mischievous children, said Ron King, the centerÂ?s summer camp director. Â?And the number one concern of the general public should be the safety of children,Â? he said. Â?They can do a lot of damage to themselves if certain safety measures arenÂ?t put in place.Â? But Peggy Clark, who lives and works a few blocks from where the rails cross Portage Avenue and remembers when trains rode them, said people will become used to the sound of train whistles and maybe even enjoy them, as she does. Clark said the possibility of the railsÂ? reactivation may also prevent people from dumping their garbage on them, which are littered with empty beer cans and plastic bottles. Â?I think (a train) adds a bit of nostalgia to the neighborhood,Â? she said. Â?ThereÂ?s more important things in life to worry about.Â?